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☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: AMC, GameStop, Sony, Planet Fitness and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: Meme stocks — Meme stocks roared for a second day with GameStop surging more than 65% and AMC popping over 70%. AMC's Tuesday rally came even after the movie theater said it completed a $250 million stock sale during Monday's wild trading. Sony — U.S.-listed shares jumped 5.3% after quarterly revenue came in at 3.5 trillion yen, topping the consensus expectation of 2.89 trillion yen from analysts polled by LSEG. On Holding — The shoe maker jumped 16% after first-quarter earnings came in well ahead of analysts' expectations. Boston Beer Company — Shares added 1% after the beer brewer was upgraded by Jefferies to buy from hold.

Persons: United, Newell Brands, Roth, —, Yun Li, Michelle Fox, Samantha Subin, Hakyung Kim, Brian Evans Organizations: GameStop, AMC, Sony —, LSEG, Vodafone — U.S, United Airlines —, Barclays, Boston Beer, Jefferies, JPMorgan Locations: Europe

☆ Indian travelers' boycott of the Maldives is helping Sri Lanka
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'Absolutely yes' — Indian travelers' boycott of the Maldives is helping Sri Lanka, says tourism ministerIndian travelers' boycott of the Maldives is benefiting Sri Lanka, says Sri Lanka's Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, citing the countries tight relationship.

Persons: Harin Fernando Organizations: Sri Lanka's Tourism Locations: Maldives, Sri Lanka, Sri

☆ Stocks making the biggest premarket moves: GameStop, AMC, Alibaba, Sony and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Check out the companies making the biggest moves in premarket trading: Meme stocks -- GameStop soared 120%, adding to the 74.4% it gained Monday , after the man who fueled the 2021 GameStop frenzy "Roaring Kitty" posted online for the first time in about three years. Shares of AMC popped 106%, while Reddit and Robinhood added 4% and nearly 6%, respectively. Alibaba -- U.S.-listed shares shed nearly 5% after the Chinese e-commerce giant reported an 86% drop in profits for its fiscal fourth quarter . However, Alibaba beat revenue expectations, coming in at 221.9 billion Chinese yuan ($30.7 billion) versus the LSEG consensus estimate of 219.66 billion yuan. Sony -- U.S.-listed shares added 3% after the PlayStation maker reported quarterly revenue of 3.5 trillion yen, topping the 2.89 trillion yen, per LSEG.

Persons: Kitty, Robinhood, FactSet, —, Jesse Pound, Alex Harring Organizations: GameStop, AMC, Home, LSEG, Revenue, Sony, PlayStation, Vodafone, Walmart, Wall Street Journal, United Airlines, Novo Nordisk

☆ Looking for ‘a Different Kind of Wow’: Next Level Hotel Experiences
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Amy Thomas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Heli-hiking on a remote slice of Vancouver Island in Canada. Concocting your own perfume in southern France. Planning a shoot with a New York fashion photographer. Now that amenities like infinity pools and posh spas (rebranded as wellness centers) are practically de rigueur at upscale lodgings, many properties are trying to distinguish themselves with activities that are ever more bespoke and brag-worthy. Indeed, said Janelle Ruhumuliza, a travel adviser with Embark Beyond, “experiences have to go further than what they were before.” She notes that social media has amplified travelers’ desire to “one-up” what others are doing online.

Persons: ”, Ashley Isaacs Ganz, Janelle Ruhumuliza Organizations: Leisure Locations: Vancouver, Canada, France, New York

☆ As Insurers Around the U.S. Bleed Cash From Climate Shocks, Homeowners Lose
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Christopher Flavelle | Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +28 min

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Persons: Dave Langston’s, Langston, ”, Dave, Linda Langston, Conn ., S.D, N.M, “, Dave Jones, Carolyn Kousky, “ It’s, Sridhar Manyem, Bill Montgomery, Kristin Heiges, Eldon Neighbor, That’s, Tom O’Meara, Kelsey Kremer, Reinsurers, Doug Ommen, Brandi Mace Storm, David Storm, Tim Kuehner’s, Brandi Mace Storm’s, haggling, Pekin, Mace Storm, Susan Crisler, Tim Kuehner, Tony J, Larson, Chesleigh Fowler, Kelley Erstine, Mr, Erstine, ” Kevin Walters, California Colorado Utah Washington Matt Child, Matthew Baker, Ariz, ” Mr, Baker, Amy Bach, United, Dave Langston, Ommen, Tim Zawacki, Lyndsey Layton, Douglas Alteen, Claire O'Neill, Matt McCann Organizations: IOWA MINNESOTA SOUTH, COLORADO ARKANSAS, NEBRASKA COLORADO, SOUTH, New York Times, Ark . Iowa Ariz, Minn, La . Iowa Iowa Neb, Neb . Texas Idaho Ga, ND Iowa, S.D . Miss, Wash . Ohio Utah Wis, University of California Berkeley, Treasury Department, Environmental Defense Fund, State, NOAA, Celina Insurance, Secura Insurance, Secura, Homeowners, Swiss, Des Moines Register, Associated, “, Iowa, Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin, Pekin Insurance, Pekin, Christensen Group Insurance, Travelers, Nationwide, Indiana Ohio Michigan Illinois, . Arkansas Kentucky Florida Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, ”, Washington, Wildfire, California Colorado, California Colorado Utah Washington, P Global Market Intelligence Locations: Iowa, IOWA MINNESOTA, IOWA MINNESOTA SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA, COLORADO, COLORADO ARKANSAS KENTUCKY ILLINOIS, IOWA MINNESOTA SOUTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA COLORADO ARKANSAS, KENTUCKY ILLINOIS, SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA, COLORADO ARKANSAS, Iowa , Minnesota, South Dakota , Nebraska , Colorado , Arkansas , Kentucky, Illinois, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids , Iowa, Marshalltown , Iowa, Florida , California, Louisiana, Iowa , Arkansas , Ohio, Utah, Washington, Colo, Mass, Colo . Calif, Calif, Colo . Ala, Colo ., Mont, Fla, Ark . Iowa, Colo . Ill, S.D, N.D, Conn, Del . Idaho Fla, Miss, Neb ., Ky, Ga, Hawaii Mont, N.M . Iowa Fla, Mont ., La . Iowa, Neb . Texas Idaho, ND, Md, Ill, Wyo, Ill . Idaho, . Ill, Minn, Ind, S.D . Vt, La . Texas Mont, Neb . NC, Neb . Mich, N.M, S.D ., Va . Ore . Ohio Mo . Texas, Tenn, Wash . Ohio Utah, Okla, Tenn . Utah, Wis, S.D . Va . Ore . Ohio Mo . Texas, California, American, U.S, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, United States, Marshalltown, Iowa Minnesota, Iowa Minnesota Wisconsin South Dakota, Celina, Pekin, Des Moines, Minnesota, Illinois , Indiana , Ohio, Illinois , Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, . Arkansas Kentucky Florida, Georgia , Kentucky, Mississippi, Washington State, California Colorado Utah, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Flagstaff, it’s, Gilbert, Seattle, Colorado, Florida’s, Central City , Iowa, Georgia

☆ A 24-year-old spent $140,000 buying and converting a Mercedes van. Take a look inside the luxury home on wheels.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

So, she set out to do just that for her most recent van conversion. AdvertisementFor the next nine months, she designed and built a space that's just as much functional as it is artistic. By the end of the conversion, Minor said she spent $140,000 on the build. For example, Minor used liquid fiberglass — a material that's typically used on the exterior of automobiles — inside her van. "In which case, it just turns into a regular business that's complicated, that's restricted."

Persons: —, Abbe Minor, Minor, Autoevolution, Noovo, I've, I'm, she'd, Diego's, Minor's van, van isn't, Abbe Minor's van, she's Organizations: Service, Business, Minor, Overland Locations: San Diego, Pennsylvania, Washington

☆ A millennial couple invested in a $143,000 vacation home in Bali. It's become the crux of their early retirement strategy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Rory and Casey Jones built a villa in Bali for 2.287 billion Indonesian rupiah, or about $143,000. AdvertisementFor Rory Jones and his wife Casey, building a house in Bali seemed like a good idea — even though they had never been to Indonesia. The couple, from Tasmania, Australia, dreamed of retiring early, so they spent a lot of time investing in the stock market. Rory and Casey Jones built a villa in Bali. That said, the couple has plans to build more investment properties in Bali in the future.

Persons: Rory, Casey Jones, —, Rory Jones, Casey, Jones, " Jones, videographer, aren't, Propertia Organizations: Service, Global Consulting, Facebook Locations: Bali, Indonesia, Tasmania, Australia, Thailand, Philippines, Portugal, Southeast Asia, Bingin, Uluwatu

☆ Whatever happened to airline food? /// Why the golden age of airplane food disappeared /// Why you don’t get served full meals on flights anymore
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —If you took an American Airlines flight in the 1960s, you’d be wined and dined from the Coach-class “Royal Coachman” menu. “Meal service was once a point of pride,” said Henry Harteveldt, who covers the travel industry for Atmosphere Research Group. Meal service was a big focus of [competition] because entertainment options were more limited,” Harteveldt said. The September 11 attacks accelerated the decline of free airline meals. Airline meals had been the brunt of jokes and criticism for decades, but now people miss them.

Persons: you’d, ”, Henry Harteveldt, Peter Stackpole, Robert Crandall, Blaise Waguespack, It’s, Beef, ” Harteveldt, Rob Welham, Molly Brandt Organizations: New, New York CNN, American Airlines, Atmosphere Research, Pan American Airline, Shutterstock Airlines, Carriers, Singapore Airlines, Michelin, Embry, Riddle Aeronautical University, ”, Smithsonian, ” Airlines, “ Airlines, British Airways, Camera, Airlines, Continental Airlines, North America, mojo Locations: New York, Daytona Beach , Florida, Delta, North

☆ When Travel Plans Go Awry
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Melissa Kirsch | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The weekend trip is, in theory, the perfect break. Two nights someplace else, just a small duffel bag and limited logistics standing between you and a reset. You might take a weekend trip for vacation or work or to see family, but the effect is the same. An old friend used to call these neither-here-nor-there realms the “zero world” for the way they feel unfastened from reality, parallel to daily life but separate. I was as cranky and impatient as the rest of my fellow travelers at each complication in our journeys, but also fascinated by the communities and customs and Cibo Express markets of the zero world.

Organizations: Cibo Express

☆ My son died on Mother's Day weekend. Sometimes I wonder how I've survived all these years.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Patricia Roos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Mother's Day is always the second Sunday in May. I always thought he probably died the evening of May 10 — Mother's Day in 2015. Since then, Mother's Day has not been my day. It hasn't been easy to move forwardSometimes, I wonder how I've survived these last nine years. As I struggled with Alex's death, I wanted to move forward, somehow integrating his death into my significantly altered life.

Persons: Alex, They'd, I've, Patricia A, Roos Organizations: Mother's, Rutgers University Department of Sociology, Little League, Rutgers University Press Locations: Newark , NJ, Newark, Washington, Montauk, New Jersey

☆ Popular vacation islands in Spain crack down on partying
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Marnie Hunter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Party boats that sell alcohol on board will also be prohibited to be within one nautical mile of the areas included in the decree. The original 22-article decree introduced in 2020 was sparked by media reports of “uncivil behavior in certain tourist areas” of Mallorca and Ibiza, attributed in large part to alcohol consumption. That behavior had damaged the image of the destinations and given rise to a nightlife scene that diminished the areas for residents. The decree outlined measures for tourist accommodations, the sale and advertising of alcoholic beverages, sanctions and other measures to curb dangerous or disruptive behavior. The newly modified Responsible Tourism Decree allocates 16 million euros (about $17.2 million) from a sustainable tourism tax to help the affected areas finance projects to encourage responsible tourism.

Persons: CNN — Organizations: CNN, Party, “, Canary Islands Locations: Ibiza, Mallorca

☆ $22,000 per week? All-inclusive resorts go big to win over luxury travelers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Erica Lamberg | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

All-inclusive hotels are making a big play for luxury travelers. In the wake of the pandemic, demand for all-inclusive resorts skyrocketed, according to a report by JLL Research Hotels & Hospitality. It was then that travelers discovered that the all-inclusive resorts of the past — known for bottom-shelf booze and quantity-over-quality dining — had changed. The numbers are even higher in Mexico, where upper upscale and luxury all-inclusive resorts accounted for more than half (55%) of its all-inclusive resorts in 2022. "In addition to elements that you receive by booking an all-inclusive resort, private and additional amenities help to elevate that experience."

Persons: Travelers —, Karina Arguello, Kelly Connor, they're, Saint Vincent, Cooper Organizations: JLL Research, Hospitality, Travelers, Marriott, Hilton, Westin, Casino, Med, AAA Club Alliance, Royal Locations: Dominican Republic, Mexico, JLL, DoubleTree, Maldives, Mauritius, Italy, France, Tignes, Caribbean, New Jersey, Grenadines, Royal Curacao, They're

☆ Senate Races to Pass Bill to Reauthorize F.A.A. and Improve Air Travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Kayla Guo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Senate is racing against a Friday deadline to pass legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration at a moment of intense uncertainty and disruption in the air travel system, but a host of policy disputes and unrelated issues are threatening to prolong the debate. As one of the few remaining bills considered a must-pass item this year, the F.A.A. package has become a magnet for dozens of amendments and policy riders that lawmakers are fighting for a vote on, which has slowed its progress in the Senate. and another $738 million to the National Transportation Safety Board for airport modernization, technology programs and safety. It also would bolster the hiring and training of air traffic controllers, codify airlines’ refund obligations to passengers and strengthen protections for passengers with disabilities.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, “ Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Senate, National Transportation Safety Board Locations: New York

☆ Analysis: Biden’s Rafah warning sends immediate shockwaves through US and global politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Hospitals are overstretched as Palestinians die in Israeli attacks on the suburbs and tens of thousands of people have already fled. For Netanyahu, the eradication of the group that carried out the October 7 attacks may be a matter of political survival. • Can Israel — as Netanyahu vows — go ahead alone in an operation even the US has disowned? • How would a full-scale offensive in Rafah further hamper already faltering attempts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas? Initially, Biden’s warning, delivered in an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett in the swing state of Wisconsin on Wednesday, looks like a case of political whiplash.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, —, Reagan, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Biden, Donald Trump, Netanyahu, Will Biden’s, Israel —, pummel, he’s, Erin Burnett, CNN Alon Pinkas, CNN’s Becky Anderson, ” Pinkas, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Joe ”, Israel’s, Gilad Erdan, Yoav Gallant, “, dissing Biden, Mike Johnson, ” Trump, Trump, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan’s, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Israeli, Gaza Health Ministry, United Nations, Democratic, Republicans, Trump, voters, Republican, House, Hamas, Party, GOP, CNBC Locations: Israel, Rafah, Washington, Gaza, Rafah —, New York, Wisconsin, United States, Europe, Michigan, Chicago, Vietnam, Iran, Damascus, Lebanon, Massachusetts

☆ Here’s what North American airline passengers think about the state of air travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Power’s 2024 North American Airline Satisfaction Study. Power hasn’t revealed an overall North American airline passenger satisfaction score, with Mike Taylor, travel intelligence lead at J.D. Power’s top North American airlines for economy passengers1. Power’s top North American airlines for premium economy passengers1. Power’s top North American airlines for first/business passengers1.

Persons: –, Power hasn’t, Mike Taylor, That’s, Tony Gutierrez, ”, Taylor, “, ” Taylor Organizations: CNN, North, Southwest Airlines, Southwest, Delta Air Lines, Delta, JetBlue, AP, ” Airlines, Allegiant, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Delta Air, . Alaska Airlines, Air Locations: ., J.D, Power, Delta, North America

☆ Japanese store near Mount Fuji issues apology in response to overtourism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Lawson’s, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, has an outpost in the small town of Fujikawaguchiko. Tourists have flooded into Fujikawaguchiko to take one specific picture – a shot of Mount Fuji behind a Lawson’s store, where the mountain’s classic elegance contrasts with the store’s modern neon signage. Although Lawson’s has not encouraged visitors to take pictures of their store, the company nevertheless issued a statement addressing the issue on May 5. Many of them headed to the same destinations, crowding Kyoto’s narrow streets and the walking trails of Mount Fuji. And Lawson’s is not the only Japanese tourist destination that has resorted to putting up signs warning visitors of bad behaviors.

Persons: Fuji –, Lawson’s, Lawson, –, overtourism, Fujikawaguchiko, Semans Organizations: CNN, Fuji, Mount Fuji, ”, Mount, UNESCO Locations: Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi prefecture, –, Japan, Mount, Yamanashi

☆ Watery, Peaceful, Wild: The Call of the Mangroves
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Elisabeth Goodridge | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It was a sunny afternoon in February at the height of the high season on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, but my partner, Aaren, and I were far from lounging on a white-sand beach, snorkeling over a coral reef or strolling among the Easter-egg-colored buildings of Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site — typical activities for travelers to this former Dutch colony. Instead, on a kayak tour with Serlon St Jago, a guide from the Curaçao Rif Mangrove Park, we were learning about the country’s mangrove restoration, and the vital role mangrove habitats play in coastal resilience, protection for marine and bird species, and fighting the effects of climate change.

Persons: Serlon St Jago Organizations: UNESCO Locations: Curaçao, lounging, Willemstad, Dutch

☆ I've been to over 100 countries. I want to go back to these 5 — including one travelers are really sleeping on.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Abbie Synan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I've been to over 100 countries, and I have five in mind I'd love to revisit. Oman is underrated and Georgia is such a special place I've been there multiple times. AdvertisementOnce you've visited over half of the world's countries, the urge to travel to every nation slowly starts to take hold of your itinerary. Here are the five countries I'd revisit in a heartbeat — and that I'd recommend to anyone planning their next trip. Surprisingly enough, none of my picks have cracked the top 10 for the most visited countries this year so far — so you may also be able to avoid summer crowds by checking them out.

Persons: I've, —, you've Organizations: Service Locations: Oman, Georgia, Japan, Brazil

☆ Chinese climbers stuck on cliff for more than an hour due to overcrowding
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Lilit Marcus | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Earlier this week, groups of travelers climbing Yandang Mountain in eastern China were stuck partway up a cliff, clinging to a rope along a fixed climbing route, for more than an hour. Someone like me afraid of heights might just wet myself up there!” wrote one Chinese online commenter. Wenzhou Dingcheng Sports Development Co., Ltd, which manages the via ferrata, said it had underestimated the number of people interested in climbing the mountain. Yandang Mountain is about 410 km (255 miles) south of Shanghai, in Zhejiang province, and is 1150 meters (3,773 feet) high. A popular site for holidaymakers in China, Yandang Mountain was submitted for UNESCO World Heritage site designation in 2001 and remains on the tentative list.

Persons: Everest, rungs, ”, I’m Organizations: CNN, Sports Development Co, Labor, UNESCO Locations: China, Wenzhou, Shanghai, Zhejiang province

☆ New Delhi’s Iron Pillar has been exposed to the elements for centuries. So why hasn’t it ever shown signs of rust?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Poonam Binayak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque is part of the UNESCO-listed Qutb Minar complex. Scientists both in India and abroad began studying the iron pillar in Delhi in 1912 to try to figure out why it hadn’t corroded. Stuart Forster/ShutterstockBeyond its metallurgical intrigue, the origin of the Iron Pillar is also veiled in mystery. In the epic poem “Prithviraj Raso,” penned by Chand Bardai, a courtier in the Chahamana dynasty under King Prithviraj Chauhan, the Iron Pillar holds great significance. “Bardai describes the Iron Pillar in Raso as a nail holding the Earth on the hoof of Sheshnag, the serpent king in Hindu mythology,” says Vikramjit.

Persons: Qutb, Anders Blomqvist, Balasubramaniam, Stuart Forster, Gupta, Chandragupta II, Vikramaditya, Vishnu, It’s, Garuda, Vikramjit Singh Rooprai, King Vikramaditya, Siddhanta, ”, Raja Anangpal, Qutbuddin, Prithviraj Raso, Chand Bardai, King Prithviraj Chauhan, “ Bardai, “ Raso, Anangpal, Qutub, Ravi Pratap Singh, Pragya Nagar Organizations: CNN, New Delhi’s UNESCO, UNESCO, Indian Institute of Technology, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Indian Institute of Metals, Varāhamihira, ASI, Survey Locations: Mehrauli, Islam, India, Delhi, Kanpur, Varah, Udayagiri Caves, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, “, Mihirapuri, Tomar, Raso

☆ Where 3 Dead Tourists Were Found Fast, Thousands Remain Missing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Emiliano Rodríguez Mega | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

When two Australian brothers drove down to Mexico’s northwest coast from San Diego last week with their American friend, they were looking to catch the crisp waves that make Baja California a popular destination among travelers from across the world. But soon after arriving to the Mexican city of Ensenada, Callum Robinson’s Instagram posts of his surf adventure ceased. The group stopped answering calls and texts. He and his brother Jake never showed up at an Airbnb they had booked, their mother said in a social media post, pleading for help from anyone who had seen her two sons. On Sunday, Mexican authorities announced that the bodies of the three tourists, found at the bottom of a well with gunshot wounds to their heads, had been identified by their families.

Persons: Callum Robinson’s Instagram, Jake Organizations: San Diego Locations: San, Baja California, Mexican, Ensenada

☆ Tourism in China surges during May Day holiday but travelers turn frugal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has reported a surge in tourism during the just concluded Labor Day holiday, but travelers cut back on their spending, in a sign that consumption in world’s second largest economy remains sluggish. That was 28% more than the number of trips taken during the Labor Day holiday period in 2019, which lasted only four days. This year’s Labor Day tourism revenue was 166.89 billion yuan ($23.6 billion), only 13.5% higher than the 2019 level. Passengers at Nanjing Railway Station in East China's Jiangsu province on May 5, the last day of the Labor Day holiday. On Monday, a private sector survey showed that the Caixin/S&P Global services PMI fell to 52.5 in April from 52.7 in the previous month.

Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Labor, Tourists, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, Passengers, Nanjing Railway, PMI, TD Securities, P Global, National Bureau, Statistics Locations: China, Hong Kong, Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu

☆ Your vacation was ruined, and the company apologized — with a heartfelt note written by ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Poonam Binayak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

'A pretty good job'For all its faults, ChatGPT "does a pretty good job" responding to customer complaints, Natasha said. A screenshot of a discussion about using ChatGPT to write reviews on Airhosts Forum, a website for Airbnb hosts. His company, which counts Priceline, Hopper and AvantStay as customers, uses AI to help customer service agents sound more professional, he said. More discovering itMichael Friedman, CEO of the family-run vacation rental company Simple Life Hospitality, said his company does not use AI to respond to customers. But after learning that other travel companies are, she decided to test ChatGPT with a real-life problem she recently faced.

Persons: Natasha, Reddit, Luca Zambello, Brad Birnbaum, Hopper, Birnbaum, Michael Friedman, …, Aw, Tokudaw, ChatGPT Organizations: CNBC, Airhosts, Airbnb, Mt Fuji Locations: TripAdvisor, Yelp

☆ We stayed in a 'Toy Story'-themed hotel for $280 a night. Our small room was a great value with tons of awesome details.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Amanda Adler | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Toy Story Hotel at Tokyo Disney Resort allows guests to feel like they are stepping into a larger-than-life land of toys, without the larger-than-life prices that can come with staying on Disney property. This spring, my family of three checked in to the 595-room hotel, which is located near Bay Station on the Tokyo Disney Resort Line, the resort's dedicated monorail line. Our room was cozy but comfortable and only cost about $280 a night — a steal compared to American Disney hotels that can cost twice as much. Although this has caused turmoil in the markets, it may be good news for American travelers looking to save even more cash. At any cost, this themed hotel that opened in 2022 was a fun place to spend a few nights and offered superior access to Tokyo Disneyland.

Organizations: Service, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disney, Business, American Disney Locations: Tokyo, Bay, American

☆ Travel news: Living the Italian dream just got easier, thanks to a new visa
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —In travel news this week: submersible superyachts for billionaires, the megahub airport that could be the world’s busiest, plus new digital nomad visas in Turkey and Italy. New digital nomad visasPacking up your life and making a fresh start abroad is a dream for many, and new visa programs and tax incentives are making it a bit more achievable. Portugal, Spain and Costa Rica are some of the countries with popular digital nomad visas, and now there are two new options for remote workers. Turkey’s vibrant cities and glorious coastline can be enjoyed with its new digital nomad visa which is open to citizens of 36 countries, including the United States, Canada, France and the United Kingdom, ages 21 to 55. Italy’s long-anticipated digital nomad visa is also now accepting applications.

Persons: you’re, Hopper, he’d, “ It’s, ”, Latronico, there’d Organizations: CNN, European Union, European Economic, KSL, Mount Fuji Locations: Turkey, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Costa Rica, United States, Canada, France, United Kingdom, Italian, Italy London, Texas, Costa, Los Angeles, Basilicata, Austrian, Utah, Indonesia, Caicos, Mull, Kintyre, Miami

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